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*Posted in the Beacon and in Townhall on the notices board*

As many are now aware I have been made Keeper of the Beacon by Sheriff Fawkes and Councilor Bhast, though not all are familiar with the events surrounding this decision. To aleviate confusion and answer the many questions I sure some have I seek to place these events here in their proper order for all to see. Some of the early details of the Beacon's history are based on second-hand knowledge and as such I cannot guarantee perfect accuracy. If anyone has additional details or clarifications they wish to offer, they may drop me a letter here at the Beacon and I will review it and make any needed changes.

After the House of Light burned down, it sat in ruins for quite some time. During this time, Upper and Lower came to be divided into seperate cities and Lower established its own council. This council decreed that a new house be built on this site and they named it The Beacon. It would be a charity house that would serve as a place of rest and comfort for the poor of Lower as the House of Light once did. They needed a Keeper to tend to the house, so they gave the position to a woman by the name of Vibernum Blackhaw. She did so admirably, through plague and strife, so well in fact they elected her to the Lower Council.

Then came the reunification. Upper and Lower became one city again, cemented by the Eleint Accord, and the Lower Council was dissolved. One member of the Lower Council, Winston, did not vote on the passage of this accord; he disagreed with it and the whole reunification. Believing the Beacon still belonged to him, he took up residence in it along with a gang of men known as Frankie's Angels. Blackhaw's take on this situation is unknown to me and is now impossible to get from the source.

Immediately after the Sslal'teesh invasion Sanctuary launched a counterattack, spearheaded in large part by Julian Fryar, a paladin of Ilmater. Though I only knew him for a short time I would like to consider him a friend. He had apperently killed an associate of the shadow dragon Etorix at some point in his career and, as Sanctuary celebrated its victory over the Sslal'teesh, Etorix appeared outside townhall and demanded Julian Fryar come to its lair within 24 hours or it would raze the city. There was no question about whether to trade his life for all of Sanctuary. For Fryar there was no choice; he would go to Etorix and face his destiny. For the rest of us who went with him there was a choice: we could stay and perhaps live long lives, letting him go off to die alone as was his wish. But we chose to stand beside him. Vibernum Blackhaw, Andhean Dathilark, Ferdinand Fenwick, Jerevar Kowalski and myself went with Julian into the lair of the beast. Jerevar emerged from that place carrying the body of Blackhaw and I carrying Fenwick. The beast kept Julian for itself and there was no one left to carry Andhean. Fenwick was raised successfully by his soon-to-be bride Jenner. Blackhaw was not so fortunate, the priests of The Hold could do nothing for her. A gentleman by the name of Castle, who I knew all too briefly, took her death hard. He left to find the surface and was never heard from again.

This left Fenwick in charge of the Beacon. Fenwick made no secret of his distrust of the powers-that-be in Upper and of his distaste of the situation in Lower. He accused Upper of violating the Eleint Accord and publicly declared Lower to be independent again, which did nothing save earn him the ire of the Watch. In all this time Winston and his gang had supported the idea of regaining independence for Lower and were gaining support from some of the citizens. They started becoming militant in their position which concerned the Watch and the Council. They wanted him removed from the Beacon and demanded that Fenwick publicly denounce him. Fenwick tried to reason with Winston, and asked him to leave of his own accord, convinced that the Watch would burn the Beacon to the ground just to get at him. Winston refused, and began moving explosives into the Beacon and barricaded himself in, threatening the destroy the whole place if the Watch tried to take him by force. The Watch was concerned that, with the support he had gained from the citizens, his death would trigger a riot in Lower, so they pressed Fenwick harder to publicly denounce him so as to undermine this support.

This placed Fenwick in what I feel was an impossible situation. If he issued a denouncement, he felt Winston might indeed destroy the Beacon rather than be taken in when the Watch inevitably went in after him. If he refused, he felt he would just be arrested again and it might do nothing to help save the Beacon anyway.

The situation came to a head on the 27th of Marponeth when Winston had some of his men place explosives behind the Lower watchhouse and set them off. No one was killed and the damage was superficial; it was apparently done to force a confrontation and to draw all eyes to Winston and the situation in Lower. Fawkes came to the Beacon with a small force to face Winston once and for all. Fenwick and Fawkes made one last attempt to appeal to Winston but to no avail.

Concerned for the future of the Beacon, which so many in Lower depend upon, I asked to speak with Winston alone. Both he and Fawkes agreed and we had a fairly lengthy discussion about his thoughts on the situation. I convinced him to at least take his fight for Lower freedom away from the Beacon so as to spare it from destruction. I brought the matter downstairs to Fawkes who went to discuss terms with Winston and in the end, escorted him and his men out of the Beacon and removed the explosives.

Afterward, he gave me Fenwick's Beacon key, which he had confiscated during the crisis, and asked me to become Keeper. Though I had no issue with Fenwick's care of the place (and still consider him a friend), I knew that others did and if he continued as Keeper he would continue to be a lightning rod for issues that surrounded it. Further, even if I refused it was unlikely that Fawkes and Councilor Bhast would let him continue on, given his strong opposition to the reunification and brash demeanor. Thus I did what I have always done; what my heart told me was the right thing to do: I accepted Fawkes offer. My greatest regret is that I hurt Fenwick in doing so. Of the many wounds I still endure I think this one stings the most.

Fawkes sent a request to Bhast to make it official. Bhast responded to Fenwick's official report on the whole incident with his decision, which Fenwick then showed to me. Since then, I have spent much time going through stacks of notes, letters and papers left by Blackhaw and putting things in order.

And there you have it. The story as best as I understand it.

For those curious about me and my viewpoint on all this; I seek not wealth nor dominion over others. I lost my lust for power when I found Ilmater as I lay dying on some torture device of the Drow. I have been motivated in all I have done by a desire to follow the path laid out for me by the One Who Endures. I believe it is He who led me from my chains to the gates of Sanctuary. I believe I am here to do His will by bringing His blessings to the sick, comfort to the dying and peace to shattered tranquility. That is precisely why I got involved with the Beacon, why I tried so hard to protect it when it was threatened, and why I accepted the responsibility for caring for it in the future. I do not know if I am worthy of this, that is not for me to decide, I suppose. But having been given this path to tread, I have chosen to embrace it with all that I am. May Ilmater forgive me for the mistakes I will make along the way. And may all of you forgive me too.

-The Future-

The Beacon is more than just a place, it is a home to those who have none. People who have escaped the clutches of their oppressors, crippled both physically and emotionally and who cannot support themselves. Those who have fought and labored for Sanctuary, but are too old or tired or wounded to continue and have been cast aside by those who feel these people have no more worth. Those who come to this city from Traensyr, Ysinode or Chabzash looking for freedom and a new life but have nothing to start them on the way. To them the Beacon represents hope. And it is for them that I and the Friends of the Beacon endure.

There are some who would like to see the Friends of the Beacon support the cause of independence for Lower. There are others who, in the past, have suggested that the Beacon be made a temple to whatever god they favor, and yes Ilmater has been suggested as well. I say to all now the following: The Beacon is too important to too many to allow its corruption, dilution of purpose, or destruction to occur. If the Friends of the Beacon start taking sides officially in matters of politics, religion or Sanctuary's internecine feuds then the Beacon itself can be placed in jeopardy, and that, for reasons above, is entirely unacceptable. The Beacon shall remain apolitical and open to all faiths. Any who are in need are welcome within, whether they be a Watchman one of our members has had a past disagreement with, or a beggar child who says a prayer to Umberlee before digging into some of our rothe stew. No one in need will be turned away, and for our part we shall remain neutral.

The Friends of the Beacon will come to the aid of those who need it. They will defend Sanctuary against its enemies, as many did during the invasion. They will help the people of Lower by distributing medicine to the sick, dealing with the ever present rat problem, finding and donating scrap metals to help get our gate rebuilt and other such public works.

To those who wish to aid in these endeavors, we welcome your support. More foodstuffs are always needed, and we are ever short on medicines. There are many ways you can help the people of Lower. Our aim is to place the Beacon at the center of that effort. And we'll get by with a little help from our Friends.

*written under notices* Im afraid to inform you that many of the details you have written are incorect. For example the House of light was actualy rebuilt before the split between upper and lower and the building was taken over by winston and his gang during the turmoil where they then killed several of the houses staff and claimed the building for themselfs.

*written under one note*

Have man like Jozan Silas already been forgotten?

- Shayne.

Agreed a good man like Jozan who worked tiresly for the people should not be forgotten neither should lady linda who fell defending the House of light.

Snorri Son of Gotrek Stoutheart Acolyte of the House of Light

As I originally indicated, my understanding of the early history of the Beacon/House of Light is incomplete and based on secondhand knowledge. I have no desire to spread misinformation or to omit important details.

Drop me a letter at the Beacon with the full details of Jozan and his involvement as well as more information about the mistakes in the chronology of events I have assembled thus far and I shall add them/make corrections to my collected notes.

Include your full name as I might one day publish these notes (should I reach a satisfactory level of detail and accuracy) and I would wish to give credit where it is due. //i.e. note your character name

I would be willing to discuss with you the inaccuracies that you have and to discuss anything else you wish a letter can be left for me at Barak-Tor if you would like to arrange a meeting. Jozan and his wife May where both members of the House of Light during a brief period and Jozan was indeed in charge of it. i am more than willing to discuss him also i would wish to discuss the information that i was seeking from Fen.

Yours Faithfully,

Snorri Son of Gotrek Stoutheart Acolyte of the House of Light